Teachers who use cooperative, integrated methods will produce students more competent in problem solving techniques, communicating effectively, and working cooperatively with others. Benefits of an integrated curriculum include: (1) reaching students with different learning types; (2) developing critical and divergent thinking skills in students; (3) creating a broad foundation that will support students as they moved to more focused subjects; (4) longer retention of material; (5) teaching skill, such as reading, in a subject context; and (6) a closer relationship to what students experience outside the classroom. Also, combining subjects allows for a larger time block that better accommodates cooperative learning techniques, such as group retellings, the buddy system, research grouping, tutorial grouping, and social groupings. For example, a fifth grade social studies unit on the United States Civil War would be enhanced by integration of literature and use of cooperative learning methods. Tying social studies, reading, and language into one curriculum and working in cooperative learning groups will allow all students to excel, because it allows for many different styles of learning. (ND)